The Non-Negotiables When Searching For a Wedding Photographer

A while back I wrote out a detailed explanation of why wedding photography is so expensive, here.

Unfortunately hiring a professional wedding photographer may be beyond what a couple on a budget may be prepared to spend, however when put in perspective it is something which to me (ok… I’m a little biased…) is a non-negotiable. Your photos are the only thing (other than your spouse…) which you will keep forever after your wedding, and your photographer is entrusted with only one chance (in many cases moments which happen quickly and are gone in a second) to get it right.

If you are someone who is shopping around for the best bargain, keep in mind- do you really want bargain wedding photography?

While you are on the hunt for a wedding photographer, I want you to be aware of some things which should always be considered/present in your wedding photographer. Without these elements, you may be left with a bad experience. In my opinion, there are several non-negotiables when it comes to hiring a wedding photographer:

-Business Basics
-Do they posess a business license?

To legally operate as a business and take your money for a product/service they need to have the proper paperowrk completed. Having a friend, family member, etc shoot your wedding who is not a legal business can get you into all sorts of trouble.

-Do they pay income and sales tax?

Many fauxtographers may be charging miniscule prices because they are not paying thier taxes. Income tax, self employment tax, and sales tax all add up on the photographer’s expense list and if you are finding photographers who are charging significantly less than the average market price, most likely they are not operating their business legitimately.

-Do they hold liability insurance?

Professional photographers should hold general liability insurance. Most wedding venues state in your contract that your venders must hold their own insurance, and some ask photographers to supply proof of this. If your drunken uncle knocks over my lightstand whilst doing the sprinkler, I need ot make sure I have insurance in case he is injured.

-Do they hold equipment insurance?

Equipment needs to be insured. If a wedding photographer is shooting a wedding eveery Saturday in September, and his gear bag is stolen from the back room of a wedding reception, he still has clients he must serve regardless of the theft. Without equipment insurance, issues such as malfunction, theft, etc could leave the photographer without the gear they need to perform their job at your wedding (unlesss your photographer happens to have 10k-20k just sitting around to spend on stolen gear….)

-Do they require the signing of a contract?

Do not send payment to a photographer without signing a contract. Make sure you have read all terms and ask any questions you may have regarding the content. If your photographer does not require you to sign a contract, that is a huge red flag that they are not a professional. Countless issues could arise from not having a contract.

-Style + Personality
-Do you love their work?

Do you really want to spend thousands of dollars on a photographer who’s work you don’t even like? Make sure that you love their work- consistently! Every wedding is different and yields its own unique feel, lighting conditions, and challenges, so make sure you have seen enough of their work to feel confident you connect.

-Do they have a full real wedding gallery to share with you?

Wedding photographers carefully curate their websites. They may post only a handful of images- this is because they are trying to draw in a specific type of client who shares and values their aesthic. If you are considering a particular photographer, ask to view a full real wedding gallery. This will show you the scope of what they may cover on a sample wedding day from start to finish. Do you feel they are just as stong from start to finish in telling the story of the day?

-Does their personality click with yours and make you feel comfortable?

Your photographer spends more time with you during the wedding day than anyone else. They will be following you all day- it is of the utmost importance that you feel comfortable with them, and can entrust them to capture the day. You should be comfortable with them on a personal and professional level, comfortable with how they direct you, and comfortable with their advice on your day.

-Experience + Gear
-Do they have proper backup gear?

Wedding photographer should have a minimum of two camera bodies, comparable in quality. If they do not have a minimum of one camera as a backup, something unforeseen could occur on your wedding day (camera malfunction, gear damaged/broken, theft, etc) which would render your photographer unable to do his/her job. In addition to having a proper backup camera body, photographers should have backups/alternates of any gear necessary to shoot your wedding.

-Do they have proper equipment for shooting in low light if your reception will be at night?

When you ask to view a full wedding gallery, look specifically to see how they shoot in various lighting conditions. Weddings most often span an entire day, resulting in a whole host of lighting challenges.

-Do they have ample experience specifically with shooting weddings?

Shooting weddings is unlike any other form of photography. Shooting landscapes or portraits does not mean that you are educated/equipped to shoot a wedding. Aside from a massive spectrum of lighting conditions/challenges which change throughout the course of a lengthy wedding day, there are many other challenges. Timelines are extremely crunched and the photographer must know how to help manage the flow of the day with regards to photos. They must know how to anticipate challenges before they arise and problem solve instantly. They must see and anticipate important candid moments and capture them in a split second. They must undergo a length post processing ritual for each wedding which entails more than most realize. They have a defined style when approaching a wedding- in both their demeanor and their artistic eye. There are countless other differences, but the bottom line is that shooting a wedding is unlike shooting any other area of photography since it combines so many different skill sets.

-Do they have multiple methods to backup their images/take precautions against memory card failure?

Digital technology is untrustworthy. Most people have experienced a harddrive failure or other computer mishap. Memory cards can become corrupted for no apparrent reason, and it is extremely important to know how your photographer takes measures to ensure proper backup in hopes of avoiding a tragedy. My camera shoots on dual cards simultaneously, so I have an instant form of backup. I then have a second camera on me which I shoot with consistently throughout all major events. I then have my second shooter as another form of backup. At the end of the day, images are backed up in triplicate- on an external drive, my computer’s drive (later moved to a disk once edited), and a cloud storage.

If any of the above are not applicable to the photographer you are considering,

In the words of Monty Python….

run.

Run away!!!!